Sauk CentreNot a ballot

Voter guide · Nov 3, 2026

Sauk Centre Mayor & City Council Election 2026

3 of 5 council seats are on the ballot, with 7 candidates running. Updated Oct 20, 2026. Every claim links to its source. How we check

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Nov 3Election Day

How to vote · 11 days left

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Election Day (Nov 3): the election office's notice

These links go to official state and county election sites. Hours and rules differ by state; your election office has the final word.

The candidates

Listed alphabetically by last name. Every position links to its source.

Voters citywide choose the mayor and, in a separate contest, two council members.

Election Day · Nov 3

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Also on your Nov 3 ballot

We research city races only. For these races, go to the state's official guide or a nonpartisan one.

Official voter lookupState voter guideVote411 (League of Women Voters)

Districts come from 2020 Census blocks and the district maps for this election. Your address decides your districts.

Already on the council, not on the ballot

Whoever you elect will govern alongside these members.

Officeholders' pages compare what they've said with how they've voted, with sources.

What the next council decides

01Highway 71 reconstruction4 sourced facts

Where it standsThe city plans Phase I city street work tied to the Highway 71 project, with construction proposed to begin in May 2027.

What's on the tableHow much of the street work property owners are assessed for, and how the city pays its share.

02Property taxes and the 2027 budget4 sourced facts

Where it standsIn September 2026 the council adopted a preliminary 2027 property tax levy of $3,044,762, a 5.38% increase.

What's on the tableThe final 2027 levy and budget, set for adoption on December 2, 2026.

03New housing and traffic3 sourced facts

Where it standsIn September 2026 the council approved a permit for a 24-unit apartment building at 838 Cates Estates Drive, after the Planning Commission failed to pass a motion to approve it.

What's on the tableHow the city weighs new housing against neighbors' traffic and safety concerns as more projects come forward.

04Which Minnesota flag the city flies2 sourced facts

Where it standsIn April 2026 the council passed a resolution saying the city will not fly the official Minnesota State Flag adopted in 2024.

What's on the tableWhether the city keeps that policy.

05Short-term rentals downtown2 sourced facts

Where it standsIn July 2026 the council allowed residential short-term vacation rentals by conditional use permit in the C-1 Central Business District, except the Congested District.

What's on the tableWhich short-term rental permits to grant, and with what conditions.

3 notes on these statements

Scott H. Kowski's current council term expires in 2028. City of Sauk Centre

Positions on the 2026 ballot include two City Council seats and one Mayor seat. City of Sauk Centre · Jul 1, 2026

The candidates' questionnaire answers come from the Sauk Centre Herald, which gave every candidate the same questions and word limits. Sauk Centre Herald · Oct 1, 2026

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Who matches you?

Answer any of these questions. We compare your answers with each person's sourced record, and nothing is stored. Questions where no one has a sourced record yet are left out. Tap a selected answer again to skip it.

  1. 1. Should the city seek to raise the cap on its local sales tax collections to $20 million?

  2. 2. Should the city's 2027 property tax levy rise about 5.4%?

  3. 3. Should the city have approved the 24-unit apartment building on Cates Estates Drive?

  4. 4. Should the city formally decline to fly the 2024 Minnesota state flag?

  5. 5. Should short-term vacation rentals be allowed in the downtown business district?

Seat the councilSeat the Council →Pick a winner for each open seat and see where the resulting council stands on each issue.On the recordHow the council voted10 council decisions, each member's vote side by side, with a link to the minutes.

Key dates

The seat math

1 stay (not up this year): Brad Kirckof3 on this ballot

5 council seats. The council decides by a 3-vote majority.

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